Herbicides affect the carpogenic development and management of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

ABSTRACT Sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a fungal pathogen of soybean, may be affected by herbicides used in the pre-planting management or even in post-emergence applications. The objective of the present study was to verify the action of the herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate ammonium and dicamba on mycelial growth and carpogenic germination of sclerotia and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The PDA culture medium was supplemented with concentrations of 10, 100, 1000 and 10000 ppm herbicides, receiving inoculation of fungal mycelium in Petri dishes. The diameter of the mycelium growth was measured daily. The carpogenic germination of sclerotia was analyzed with the deposition of ten sclerotia on the ground surface which was sterilized, arranged in plastic boxes and sprayed with solutions at concentrations of 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000 ppm herbicides. Evaluations were carried out at 30, 40 and 50 days after incubation by counting the number of stipes and apothecia. Glufosinate ammonium caused the greatest mycelial growth inhibition on S. sclerotiorum, which was above 40% even at the lowest concentration. The speed of mycelial growth was also lower from 10 ppm glufosinate. While for the control sample there was differentiation of stipes into apothecia, sclerotia treated with the herbicides showed a high number of stipes and a low number of apothecia. Changes in morphology, such as deformation on the edges of the apothecia disks, changes in coloration and stunted aspect, were also observed in sclerotia treated with herbicides. The herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate ammonium and dicamba alter the development of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia and may have an inhibitory action on the fungus. RESUMO Escleródios do fungo patogênico da soja Sclerotinia sclerotiorum podem sofrer ação de herbicidas utilizados no manejo de aplicações pré-plantio ou mesmo pós-emergenciais. O objetivo foi verificar a ação dos herbicidas glifosato, glufosinato de amônio e dicamba no crescimento micelial e na germinação carpogênica dos fungos escleródios e Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. O meio de cultura BDA foi suplementado com concentrações de 10, 100, 1.000 e 10.000 ppm de herbicidas, recebendo inoculação de micélio fúngico em placas de Petri. O diâmetro do crescimento do micélio foi medido diariamente. A germinação carpogênica dos escleródios foi analisada com a deposição de dez escleródios na superfície do solo que foi esterilizado, disposto em caixas plásticas e pulverizado com soluções nas